New Colorado Music You Should Know — December Edition

Welcome to our monthly series on new Colorado music. Every month we highlight five local musicians, five local music videos and five local songs. Go here to check out previous entries to the series. Are you a Denver artist with fresh music you would like us to check out? Send to Alex.Kramer@303Magazine.com for consideration.

The end of the year is nigh, friends. And with that, we are rounding out our year of local jams with December’s new Colorado music you should know or that may have slid under your radar. From local favorites The Mañanas to newcomers Mr. Mota, bass music from w/out to pop punk from Plasma Canvas, this month’s compilation has a little something for everyone.

Be sure to check out their playlist below and don’t forget to follow 303 Magazine and like our New Colorado Music playlist on Spotify.

Five Up & Coming Local Acts

Fables of the Fall

Listen if you like The Taxpayers

Genre-benders to the utmost, Fables of the Fall released this ear-bending track that combines quaint Latin guitar riffs, yearning violin, pissed-off vocals and titillating harmonies. Fables of the Fall play like seasoned musical vets, and their sophomore album, Cantos, tells that same tale. Their music is a triumph of the burgeoning folk-punk genre.

Shady Oaks

Listen if you like Blvck Hippie

Shady Oaks makes boisterous music — big, driving tracks daydreaming of being headbanged to. Their use of layered sounds leaves the listener haunted in the most exciting way. However tight the rest of the number is, the true hero of the band’s sound is the careening guitar that wails its way through the music, telling the story it so desperately needs to.

READ: Local Listen — Shady Oaks’ Eclectic and Enlightened Debut Album

w/out

Listen if you like INZO

Though Dani Oprea — the brains behind w/out — has been on the Denver electronic scene since 2018, they have just started making waves in the highly-saturated genre with their mix of ethereal beats and ability to harness the wonder within a track’s tone. Watch out for this dark horse on the scene.

Rev. da IV

Listen if you like KYLE

Rev. da IV may be the fourth in name but not in originality. The Denver artist makes beats that are above all one thing: fun. The production piques the ear’s interest as various sounds and samples find their place on each track, finding a home amongst other deep cuts and light-hearted fodder. For those interested in indie hip-hop, Rev. da IV is for you.

Sell Farm

Listen if you like Glass Animals

The undeniably chill, lo-fi journey Sell Farm takes its listeners on remains unparalleled. Every element to their songs count, drawn out in beautiful symmetry to their fullest potential — this is true for the unrelenting drums, the lilting guitar, the elegant-yet-haunting keys and the strained-with-emotion vocals. Let your heart sync up to the beat and dig into Sell Farm’s growing discography.

Five New Local Songs

The Mañanas — “Numbers”

Listen if you like Car Seat Headrest

Denver-darlings The Mañanas return with an upbeat, surf-rock landscape behind their latest single, “Numbers.” The duo has nothing to prove… except that they are here to stay. Despite any potential pitfalls, the band has risen to the challenge, continuing to release tracks that defy expectations and leave fans satisfied.

READ: Rooting Down, The Mañanas Return to the Basics as a Duo

Joel Ansett — “Layers”

Listen if you like Big Thief

In a sped-up world, Joel Ansett slows it down. Low vocals follow a persistent melodic guitar that questions and yearns on “Layers.” The track is a reflection on love and self, particularly the relationship he holds with love.

Mr. Mota — “Smoke Too Much”

Listen if you like The Frights

This tantalizing release from Boulder-favorites Mr. Mota is intriguing not only in sound but the fact that this is the band’s first recorded single despite being on the scene for a few years. Giving up their live-show exclusivity is truly a gift to us all in time for the holiday season. The bluesy ditty conjures bright images and sunny pleasantries. Whatever is to come from Mr. Mota’s recording ventures, we shall wait impatiently.

Hoverfly — “Hate”

Listen if you like Audioslave

“Hate” from Hoverfly is a rock track, through and through. Its angst — felt from the title to the final chord — is neither cloying nor overdrawn. It hits all the high points of the genre. The song is lightened by psychedelic guitars and a catchy chorus that save it from mundanity.

Plasma Canvas — “Need”

Listen if you like Jimmy Eat World

Missing that quintessential 2000s emo sound? Look towards Fort Collins’ very own Plasma Canvas. In true pop-punk style, trilling guitar licks cradle the verses of “Need” before a chord-driven chorus bleeds the song dry. This is the type of track that persuades listeners to jump around like teenagers — energetic and emotive and humbly hormonal.

Five New Local Music Videos

N3ptune & Rusty Steve — “MILITIA”

Listen if you like Rina Sawayama

N3ptune and Rusty Steve are no strangers to wielding their power against their own creativity. “MILITIA”‘s hard exterior is no different. The video sees N3ptune dancing against a stark white backdrop as dancers and models traverse in and out of the shot. As the feminine side of N3ptune joins the cast of characters, including the more masculine, shirtless N3ptune, the duality of the track reaches its peak for the perfect transition to a steaming red nightclub. As visually stunning as the performance itself, this video is a must-watch.

READ: Premiere – N3ptune Gets Honest About His Trauma On New Single: “MANNEQUIN”

Peach Street Revival — “She Said, Now Go”

Listen if you like Fleetwood Mac

Peach Street Revival’s particular brand of jam rock is on full display in the mountainous landscape of “She Said, Now Go.” The video sees a “spirit” seeking out members of the band for various tasks, leading up to rituals and release. The gritty desert imagery is juxtaposed by frontwoman Gonzales’ mirrored outfit, adding a layer of trippy imagery and floating visuals to the story.

Polly Urethane — “Go Away (Strawberry Switchblade Cover)”

Listen if you like Weyes Blood

The ’90s DIY aesthetic in this video plays perfectly into Polly Urethane’s gossamer nightmare. The Denver-based performer’s siren vocals are uninhibited, colliding as they do with the space (and listeners) around them. This thoroughly unique and unabashed performer is one to watch out for the next time you hit up a live show — prepare for the strange and hauntingly brilliant.

Disco Lines — “All I Want is You”

Listen if you like Wax Motif

Disco Lines’ latest music video follows two women on a trip through the mountains and seaside as the titular line “all I want is you” permeates the beat. The pair dance and hug the night away, making it increasingly clear the meaning of the song is quite literal, if single-minded. All these two want is each other and who is Disco Lines to deny them?

Violet Pilot — Jam In the Van Session

Listen if you like ZZ Top

Though not technically a music video, Violet Pilot’s Jam In The Van video is anything but lacking. It is an enticing introduction to the new group’s world — especially their live chops. Crammed into the iconic van with Orange amps abounding, the four-piece jams for a tight 16 minutes of harmonizing guitars and dexterous upright bass.

READ: Local Listen — Violet Pilot Emulates and Electrifies on Debut Album